Rail service celebrates 30 years

LEWISBURG — The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority has been chug-a-chuggin’ for 30 years — a feat worth celebrating. According to Jeff Stover, current executive director of the authority, it all started when a financially struggling Conrail was planning to abandon some local rail lines.

“I think that a lot of people really don’t realize the fact that a lot of industries in Central Pennsylvania need professional, efficient rail service to survive, or at least to be competitive,” Stover said. “Not every industry, but quite a few of the larger manufacturers and employers in the region do rely on rail service.”

The lack of service could have had a huge financial impact to some prominent industries in The Valley, so the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority was formed. The J-R-A, as it is known, has thrived and grown over the decades. They own five short line railroads, comprising nearly 200 miles. They serve Union, Northumberland, Montour, Mifflin, Lycoming, Columbia, Clinton and Centre Counties.

In honor of their 30th anniversary, they are recalling their past through a 30th anniversary booklet. You can download the booklet and learn more about the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority on their website at www.sedacograil.org.